EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — 56 migrants were found by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in a stash house in West El Paso on Tuesday, Aug. 6.
HSI agents assigned to the Border Enforcement Task Force found the migrants after executing a search warrant in a house located on the 1500 block of Murchinson Drive, according to HSI.
All of the migrants in the stash house were adults, 49 migrants were from Mexico, five from Guatemala and two were from El Salvador. 15 migrants were women, according to HSI.
According to the HSI, all the migrants were turned over to Border Patrol for processing and the investigation is ongoing.
“Human smugglers prey on the desperation of foreign nationals with hopes of coming to the United States to chase the American dream,” said Jason T. Stevens, acting special agent in charge of HSI El Paso. “However, what they encounter is the American nightmare in the hands of callous transnational criminal organizations who see them as nothing else than merchandise. HSI is committed to continue working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively seek those who undermine our nation’s immigration laws and victimize people for profit.”
“In FY24 Border Patrol agents in conjunction with our law enforcement partners have rescued approximately 2,300 migrants from stash houses. These stash houses commonly are unsanitary, overcrowded, unsafe and sometimes with little to no running water,” said El Paso Sector Chief Anthony Scott Good.
According to Good through his X account, for the 2024 fiscal year, El Paso Border Patrol agents have disrupted 234 stash houses and rescued roughly 2,300 migrants.
Anyone who has information about smuggling activity are urged to call the HSI tip line at 1-877-4-HSI-TIP (1-877-447-4847).
For more information about HSI’s investigative efforts, follow the department’s X account here.
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